


"Eureka!" and Three Other Shorts: "Midnight Chat,"  "Insurance," "Pressure"

by fmlyhntr, jamelia116, Penny_P, Rocky_T, Voyager_Virtual Season_7-5_Staff_Writers (jamelia116)



Series: Voyager Virtual Season 7.5 [17]
Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-17
Updated: 2019-07-18
Packaged: 2020-06-30 10:31:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19851304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fmlyhntr/pseuds/fmlyhntr, https://archiveofourown.org/users/jamelia116/pseuds/jamelia116, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Penny_P/pseuds/Penny_P, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rocky_T/pseuds/Rocky_T, https://archiveofourown.org/users/jamelia116/pseuds/Voyager_Virtual%20Season_7-5_Staff_Writers
Summary: When the Voyager Virtual Season 7.5 group first posted our series, ideally, we put out one per week. The main episodes were planned out by the entire writing group; but from time to time, the writer or writers working on the one scheduled for that week did not feel it was quite ready for posting. Someone would come up with a "short" tale to plug the gap. Three of the four pieces which comprise this episode first appeared for that reason: "Midnight Chat," "Insurance," and "Pressure."Others were written to provide key information that didn't make it into a longer piece, but which our readers should know. An example of this type is "In the Silence of the Night," the Interlude written to fill a story gap between "Escalation" and "Ethical Considerations." It was published on AO3 for the first time anywhere as the final chapter of "Escalation." In this episode, we are publishing, also for the first time anywhere, "Eureka!" -- an Interlude concerning a substance Voyager's engineering staff will need in the future.We hope you will enjoy these "assorted short subjects" as much as we did writing them.----The Voyager Virtual Season 7.5 Writing Staff





	1. "Midnight Chat"

**Author's Note:**

> Even when Voyager's journey is seemingly uneventful, when a Q visits a member of the crew in the middle of the night, who knows what might happen? 
> 
> Set sometime before Voyager decided to install the transwarp propulsion system. Originally published, January 2, 2002

**Midnight Chat**  
By Penny_P  
  
  
Chakotay's neck was cramped and aching, and for a few moments he couldn't figure out why. Then he opened his eyes and realized that he wasn't sleeping in his bed after all. He was still sitting the chair in the main cabin of his quarters, still dressed in his uniform and still holding the PADD with the latest crew evaluations from the Shuttle Repair Department. Apparently, he had dozed off while reading.  
  
Well, he thought with a yawn, it's not surprising. I can't remember the last time I had eight uninterrupted hours of sleep. I can't remember four uninterrupted hours. He reached up to rub the junction of shoulder and neck that was protesting.  
  
"It's about time," a familiar voice said. Startled, he jumped to his feet and saw his visitor. She sat on his sofa with her long legs tucked beneath her and her red hair loose, staring at him with undisguised impatience.  
  
"Q!" he said, and reached for his combadge.  
  
The female Q rolled her eyes. "You Humans are so skittish. It won't work. I've taken us out of the normal timestream so we can have a little chat."  
  
Not taking his eyes from her, he touched the combadge anyway. "Intruder alert," he said, but without urgency. He doubted that anyone would respond.  
  
After two seconds of silence, she smiled at him. "Don't worry. I'm not going to turn you into a frog. I told you, I just want to talk."  
  
"Why me?" he asked, genuinely curious. "We barely spoke the last time you were here."  
  
"I know, but Helmboy was busy with that cute little Klingon and I knew you wouldn't be occupied. Do you always sleep like that?"  
  
"No, and I don't always wake up with a pain in the neck, either, but it appears to have happened this time. What do you want to talk to me about?"  
  
She peered at him. "You were a little boy once, weren't you?"  
  
He was tempted to tell her no, but decided that it was fruitless to lie to an omniscient being. "Yes, that's usually the way it works."  
  
"Not among the Q." She unfolded her legs and sat straighter on the sofa. "If I had had any idea of what procreation entailed, I never would have agreed. Why is he so immature?"  
  
"Who?" he asked in his best deadpan. "Q or the baby?"  
  
"The baby, of course," she said impatiently, and then looked at him with comprehension. "Why, Chuckles, you made a joke. And Q said you haven't got a sense of humor."  
  
"Q and I never exactly hit it off. I don't know how the Q age, but your son was born only 4 years ago. In human terms, he's little more than a toddler."  
  
She shuddered. "That's just it. The Q don't 'toddle.' At least, we never did before. Q are supposed to spring forth from the heart of the universe, omniscient and omnipotent and in full control of all bodily functions, whatever form of body we choose to occupy."  
  
Chakotay's heart sank. "You aren't here to talk about toilet training, are you?"  
  
Her mouth curled in disgust. "You really are a lower form of life. No, I'm not here to talk about...that. My problem is much more subtle; and on second thought, I doubt you can help me."  
  
"You're probably right. Good night." He began to head toward his bedroom. "Please turn out the lights as you leave."  
  
"Wait!" She stood, looked about uncertainly, and then said, "I want it understood that this is confidential between the two of us. Not a word to anyone -- not to Q, not to your hussy of a captain, not to anyone."  
  
"Kathryn? A hussy?" He grinned at the thought.  
  
"Stop that. Do you promise?"  
  
Curiosity got the better of him, and he nodded. She took a deep breath. "Junior sucks his thumb," she said, her voice dropping to little more than a whisper.  
  
"And?"  
  
"And? Isn't that enough? Can you imagine the shame if the Continuum learns about this? The Q do not bite their nails, do not grind their teeth and most assuredly do not suck their thumbs." She began to pace. "I blame Q. It's all his fault. It certainly isn't mine."  
  
He stared at her, not believing his ears. "You disrupted the timestream to ask me about thumbsucking?"  
  
She folded her arms and raised her chin slightly. "Obviously, you have no appreciation for the magnitude of this problem."  
  
"Oh, I do. I understand its magnitude perfectly." He paused, then looked at her. "Aren't you omniscient? Why can't you figure this out for yourself?"  
  
"Q omniscience doesn't extend to such mundane details," she said haughtily. "The mysteries of the universe are no secret to us, but thumbsucking is beneath our consideration."  
  
"Uh-huh." He was beginning to suspect that the Q weren't as all-knowing as they claimed to be; like all sentient life, they acquired knowledge through experience; by virtue of their seemingly eternal life span, they simply acquired so much knowledge that they seem omniscient to shorter-lived species. "Well. I can help you. But I want something in return."  
  
She held up a hand. "I won't transport your ship to the Alpha Quadrant. You still have some things to accomplish here. And I won't go tampering with your love life. That would be too...icky."  
  
He let that slide without comment. "I wasn't going to ask for those things. Kathryn wouldn't forgive me in either case. No, what I want is one quiet week - no hostile aliens, no major malfunctions, no crew disruptions. Just one week in which nothing bad happens and everyone can relax a little bit."  
  
"That's it?"  
  
"That's it."  
  
Looking suspicious, she said, "You certainly think small. All right. It's a deal -- if what you tell me works. If it doesn't --" Her grin turned malicious. "How would you like to be visited by the Hirogen, the Borg and Species 8472 at the same time?"  
  
"This will work. At least, it worked for m- my little sister. Put something that tastes bad on his thumbnail. He'll stop putting it in his mouth."  
  
"But -- won't that make him unhappy? Won't he cry?"  
  
"Let him." Chakotay shrugged. "He'll get over it. And a little crying is good for him. Helps him learn he's not in control of the universe."  
  
She looked affronted, but then a light gleamed in her eyes and a slow smile spread across her face. With a click of her fingers, she disappeared.  
  
Typical, he thought. He'd just have to wait and see if the week was quiet. He was hoping he could talk Kathryn into taking some time off. She needed a vacation, even if it was spent in her quarters or a holodeck. Resigned to the mercurial ways of the Q, he headed for his bedroom.  
  
Then there was a great flash of light, and he turned. She was standing there, smiling warmly. "It worked like a charm. You are a genius, Chuckles. I tell you what. I'm willing to help you with your love life after all."  
  
"I can manage that myself," he said hastily. "Just give me one uneventful week. We all need a rest."  
  
She shook her head. "What a waste. All right -- one week of no excitement, no drama, no villains, no viruses and no anomalies coming up." With an economy of gesture, she snapped again, and then smiled brightly. "Of course, all hell will break loose the week after that. Sleep tight, Chuckles."  
  
Another flash, and she was gone.


	2. Insurance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chakotay is finally getting around to filing an insurance claim for the vessel that was lost at the Caretaker's array. But what was the name of that ship again?
> 
> Originally published, January 20, 2002

**Insurance**  
By Christina  
  
Chakotay growled; he'd been postponing this particular batch of paperwork for too long. He reached over and picked up his cup of tea and took a sip. "This is cold," he muttered, knowing if he went to get a warm cup, he wouldn't come back to the form.  
  
"What are you working on?" Kathryn asked from her desk.  
  
"Claim forms."  
  
"Aren't you supposed to submit them in the next datastream?"  
  
"Uh huh."  
  
She shook her head. "Chakotay...What am I going to do with you?"  
  
He smiled. "We can find out." He started to stand.  
  
"Stay in that seat, mister," she barked. She walked over and grabbed the PADD. "Maybe between the two of us we can get it filled out." She read through it quickly.  
  
"At least you have your name already on here. That's good." She continued to read. "Here we go. Name of ship-- _The Freedom."_  
  
"Actually, it's _The Liberty."_  
  
"Excuse me? I thought it was _The Freedom."_ She looked at him curiously. His smile grew.  
  
"Long story. It was originally _Bantor_. It's a Bajoran name. Some of the crew translated that to be _Freedom_ , others _Liberty_ \-- we never agreed on which it should be."  
  
"You should put down _Freedom_. It'll match the official Starfleet records."  
  
"But it's _Liberty_ on her registration papers."  
  
"Oh. That might be a problem." She read a bit further. "You do realize that the company doesn't pay claims for losses during an act of war."  
  
"But she was lost as a direct result of the Caretaker seeking to procreate."  
  
"True, Chakotay. But they may not see it that way."  
  
"I know. I just need to file the claim. The ship belonged to Deep Space Import and Export."  
  
"Ahh. I believe they fronted for the Bajoran resistance and later the Maquis."  
  
He nodded twice. "I figure if I file a claim, they won't charge me for the loss of the ship."  
  
"They would do this?"  
  
"Yes. Ships lost in battles with the Cardassians were paid for by various Bajoran Freedom groups. For all others, the crew and captain were expected to cover the replacement costs." He handed her another PADD. "They notified me of that in the last datastream."  
  
"Oh." Janeway didn't pick up the PADD. "Then I suppose this isn't a good time to tell you that Starfleet has been counting the number of shuttles you've wrecked?"


	3. Pressure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even on New Hope, you're under pressure to turn in your reports to the captain on time.
> 
> A little "dialog only" story from Rocky.
> 
> Originally published, December 21, 2001

**Pressure  
**By Rocky  
  
  
"Oh, God, we're never going to finish."  
  
"Relax, Tom, we'll make it. What time is it now?"  
  
"One and a half hours before the deadline."  
  
"See, plenty of time."  
  
"Do you practice this?"  
  
"Practice what?"  
  
"Your little Pollyana act, 'everything will be fine, don't worry about a thing, we've got this massive report that has to be on the captain's desk in a little more than an hour and if we don't we're screwed for life, but hey, not to worry, everything's cool.' That act."  
  
"You know, I don't mean to sound unsympathetic, Tom, but it would have been better if you'd started worrying about this earlier. Like a few days ago, at the very least. I won't even mention the fact that we knew about this report, and its deadline, almost a week ago."  
  
"Hey, it's not like I neglected it on purpose. I've been busy."  
  
"Yeah, very busy."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean? I basically have two jobs around here. Chief flight conn officer, _and_ medical assistant. You know what it's like pulling double shifts so many days a week?"  
  
“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but we’re currently planet-bound. Not much call for a conn officer at the moment.”  
  
“What are you talking about? You know all those shuttle surveys of the planet we’ve been conducting lately?”  
  
“Yeah. What about them?”  
  
“Those shuttles don’t fly themselves, you know.”  
  
“Point taken. But still, Tom, I work plenty of double shifts, too.”  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I know--after a long day on your feet at Ops, you're busy warming the center seat on the bridge during Gamma shift."  
  
"Laugh if you like, Tom, but it's an important responsibility."  
  
"Well, until recently, I would’ve said nothing ever happens during Gamma shift. It's like we've got a 'sleeping, do not disturb sign' hanging over the deflector dish. How many aliens ever attack at night? Huh?"  
  
"Hey, when something _did_ happen, namely our lovely landing on this planet, what time was it?"  
  
"It was almost Alpha shift."  
  
"Almost doesn’t count. Anyway, it's good command experience and it'll come in handy later on."  
  
"Not if we get busted down to crewman for not having this report done on time!"  
  
"Don't look at me. You know how many evenings I tried to tell you we needed to work on this thing?"  
  
"My evenings are taken, Harry. I'm a married man after all. Especially now with B'Elanna in her condition, I've got to spend most of my evenings at home."  
  
"Stop trying to change the subject. Admit it, Tom you've been fooling around, wasting time, and now we've both got to pay the penalty."  
  
"OK. You've made your point."  
  
"Good. How're we doing?"  
  
"We've still got another 45 minutes."  
  
"I'm writing as fast as I can."  
  
"Me, too."  
  
"And by the way, that was a real low stunt to pull, trying to blame your irresponsibility on B'Elanna."  
  
"Yeah, I guess...in all seriousness, Harry, being married does mean spending some quality time with your wife."  
  
"Well, I wouldn't know anything about that of course."  
  
"Sorry, I didn't mean to imply..."  
  
"Sure you did, Tom, but I'm used to it by now."  
  
"I really am sorry."  
  
"It's OK. I don't exactly have a stellar track record of romantic successes."  
  
"Don't be so discouraged, Harry. Will you slug me if I ask what’s going on with you and Marla?"  
  
“Nothing’s going on.”  
  
“The two of you looked real cozy earlier.”  
  
“Yeah, earlier, as in before the transwarp flight. It’s like she got spooked or something…anyway, I’m not discussing her.”  
  
"Maybe you should try dating someone else.”  
  
“Tom. Do you think after seven years there's anyone on this ship I haven't dated? Or at least tried to?"  
  
"Sam Wildman."  
  
"She's married."  
  
"The captain."  
  
"Real funny, Tom."  
  
"OK, OK. Seriously, you've gone out with everyone else?"  
  
"Everyone female."  
  
"Wow. And they called _me_ the _Voyager_ Casanova."  
  
"Called you what?"  
  
"Never mind... _Everyone_? Hey, I just thought of something. That would mean you also must've dated B'Elanna."  
  
"You know, Tom, we've got less than 15 minutes left..."  
  
"Now who's trying to change the subject?"  
  
"All right. No, I never went out with B'Elanna. At least not on a 'date' date. Just as friends, nothing more."  
  
"But you wanted to?"  
  
"Just at the beginning. She was smart and cute and feisty...."  
  
"Oh, yeah."  
  
"And despite her toughness, she seemed kind of vulnerable inside."  
  
"Yep. You know, she'd break both your legs if she heard you say that."  
  
"I guess you speak from experience, huh?"  
  
"That's going to feel like a faint tickle when the captain gets through with us! Geez, I can't _believe_ this is happening to me."  
  
"To us."  
  
"Yeah, whatever. How much more you got left, by the way?"  
  
"Just a little bit more."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"No, I'm lying, Tom."  
  
"Thought so. When I look at how much more I have to do..."  
  
"Well, it doesn't matter. Time's almost up. Whatever we've got, we've got. "  
  
"How can you be so calm? We're about to blow a major deadline."  
  
"Look, we'll just give her what we've got. What else can we do? We gave it our best shot..."  
  
"It doesn't feel like it's our best shot...Time?"  
  
"Two more minutes."  
  
"OK, OK. I think I'm almost there."  
  
"Good...me, too. There."  
  
"And... done."  
  
"Now to just hand her the PADDS..."  
  
"Figure she's still in her Ready Room, waiting? She did say she wanted our report on her desk by 23:59...."  
  
"Let's go."  
  
"Try not to drop any of those. I worked hard on that stuff."  
  
"Sure you did, Tom."  
  
"Don't start that again."  
  
"It's locked."  
  
"What?"  
  
"The Ready Room door. Locked. She's not here."  
  
"Oh, come on. After all that? Where the hell is she, then?"  
  
"Probably in her quarters. It _is_ after midnight, Tom."  
  
"You think she just went to sleep, knowing we were slaving away here, busting our balls to get this finished and handed in to her on time? She's capable of such cruelty?"  
  
"Captain Janeway? Yeah."  
  
"I think you're right. OK, here we are, captain's quarters."  
  
"You want to do the honors?"  
  
"Sure, I'll signal."  
  
"No answer. Maybe she _is_ sleeping."  
  
"No...I don't believe it. Something might be wrong with the mechanism. I'm going to knock."  
  
"Tom! If she really is asleep.... "  
  
"Wait, I think I hear voices."  
  
"Maybe she's reading out loud to herself..."  
  
"Or maybe..."  
  
"Mr. Kim, Mr. Paris, what can I do for you?"  
  
"Uh, sorry to disturb you, Captain, but you said you wanted our report about the circumstances leading up to our crash landing..."  
  
"Report? Oh, yes! Thank you. I must say, that's awfully diligent of you to show up here at this hour..."  
  
"Well, we knew how important this report was and how you really needed us to get it in before deadline."  
  
"Deadline? Oh, yes. Well, thanks once again, gentlemen. I'll see you on the bridge in the morning. Good night."  
  
"Whew! All's well that ends well, Tom. See? And you were worried..."  
  
" _I_ was worried?"  
  
"Fine. We both were. You were awfully quiet there, by the way, when the Captain came to the door. You didn't say one word to her. Want to tell me what's on your mind?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Come on, Tom, I know you too well. There's obviously something."  
  
"I'd better not say anything."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"After all, I could be wrong..."  
  
"Tom!"  
  
"OK. Did you see how she was dressed?"  
  
"She was wearing a bathrobe."  
  
"And her hair?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"It was all mussed-up looking."  
  
"It's the middle of the night, Tom, we probably woke her up."  
  
"I'm not too sure about that."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Remember how it sounded like there were voices coming from her cabin?"  
  
"That doesn't mean anything."  
  
"By itself, maybe not. But did you get a look inside?"  
  
"No, not really, she was standing in the doorway and kind of blocking my view..."  
  
"Yes, from your angle. But I could see in, over her shoulder."  
  
"And?"  
  
"There was an open bottle of cider on the table."  
  
"So maybe she was having a nightcap before going to bed."  
  
"And two glasses."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes. Close your mouth, Harry, before you catch something."  
  
"You don't mean to say you think it was..."  
  
"Yep."  
  
"The captain and..."  
  
"Who else drinks that stuff?"  
  
"OK, I'm not going any further with this. Good night, Tom."  
  
"Come on, Harry, do you know what this means?"  
  
"It means that any rumors that get started will land us in a hell of a lot more trouble than just being late with a lousy report!"  
  
"Harry, Harry, Harry...think of the possibilities."  
  
"What possibilities?"  
  
"The betting pool! We can really clean up, if we get in before any of this becomes public knowledge."  
  
"Oh, no. Count me out. I don't want any part of this."  
  
"What's the matter, Harry? Afraid of a little pressure?"  
  
"There's pressure, and then there's pressure. Good night, Tom."  
  
"Oh, fine, be a spoilsport. If you hadn't just saved my---"  
  
"But I did. So you owe me one. Good night, Tom."  
  
"Good night, Harry."  
  
FINIS


	4. Eureka!--Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ship is down on the ground on New Hope. On the eighth day after Tom's "landing," B'Elanna and her staff assess the extent of the damages.

**Eureka!**  
by Christina and Jamelia  


**Nov 7** **\-- Eighth Day on New Hope**  
  
Joe Carey stared at the remains of the transwarp coil: a small purple lump which left him with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He’d been so hopeful -- not as obviously as Harry was -- but still hopeful that the experimental drive would work and they’d be home in a matter of weeks. He missed Annie and the kids so much; that had been uppermost in his mind ever since the transwarp failure and their crash-landing on the planet. The constant work and lack of sleep had kept him from wallowing in grief, but that was a very small positive in a sea of negatives. Their immediate concerns were, in order of priority, survival (though this would doubtless ease as soon as the majority of the replicators were back online), getting the ship spaceworthy again, and finally, resuming their journey to the Alpha Quadrant. Lieutenant Torres had sounded less pessimistic two days after the crash, but in the last couple of days, as they sifted through the wreckage of her grand experiment, her resigned tone of voice whenever she spoke with him had said it all.  
  
It was rapidly becoming obvious that they wouldn’t be able to repair _Voyager_ on their own with their present equipment and resources. They needed help, but stuck as they were on an uninhabited planet that was the center of a dispute between four warring factions, how the hell were they going to find that help?  
  
"….further study of the coil before we dispose of it?" he heard someone ask. His mind returned to the meeting.  
  
"We’ve already determined there’s nothing worth salvaging," Marla Gilmore said. "In terms of gaining some useful information, I don’t think anyone, even the Borg, could learn anything from what's left. Icheb and I have completed the analysis of the Zornon Cloak, however, and while there's been some damage, overall, it's in pretty good shape."  
  
"Thank you, Ensign," B’Elanna said. "Fixing the cloak isn't a high priority right now, but at least our experiments with new technology won't be a total loss. Now, Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay are leaving in the _Copernicus_ tomorrow to contact the other worlds and ask for help. Surely at least one of the governments will offer to supply parts and supplies so we can repair _Voyager_.”

“Who will they turn to first?” asked Vorik.

“I understand they're going to contact the Vordai government first,” B’Elanna replied. “She believes they've shown themselves as the most sympathetic and most likely to help."  
  
"As if they all didn't want us off this planet yesterday," Susan Nicoletti said. This brought a few sad chuckles from everyone.  
  
"We know we can make _Voyager_ space-worthy, Sue," B'Elanna said, "but how soon is a big question. If we have to replicate everything we need – suffice it to say that it will be a long time before our systems can provide sufficient power for our industrial replicators to create all the replacement parts we need, especially to repair the hull ruptures. If we at least had the raw ore to work with, we could construct many of the parts we need, but the captain's agreement with the four Treaty Worlds forbids us to undertake any mining operations. If they don’t agree to give us the parts we need, our fallback is to ask for mining rights -- and they don't want us doing that, either. We might very well end up stranded on New Hope for years.”  
  
"But what's the alternative?" Lieutenant Chapman asked. "None of the four want to take us in either."  
  
"You're right. None of them have made an offer like that,” B’Elanna said. “They just want us gone. But even if they did, I don't think the captain would be in favor of it. She's determined to get us home. Regardless, we would still have rotating repair crews working on the ship, which means we’d still be maintaining a presence on the Treaty World.” The chief engineer sighed. “That means we stay here and fix _Voyager_ , for however long it takes. I believe that's the captain's primary argument. If they really want to remove our 'destabilizing presence' from the Treaty Planet as quickly as possible, it’s in the best interests of the Vordai or one of the other worlds to give us the help we need.”  
  
B'Elanna thoughtfully tapped her fingers on the edge of the PADD she was holding. Joe thought she was about to end the meeting, but instead, she took a deep breath and said, "And one more thing about mineral rights. Tom has quietly run some cursory surveys of the planet. He plans to go on one more flight tomorrow, before he's stuck here on the ground with the rest of us and becomes 'Acting Captain Tuvok's Acting First Officer.' "  
  
Most of the engineers, including Joe, couldn't resist laughing. Tom had been placed in the position of Acting First Officer once before. When the captain, Tuvok, and B'Elanna infiltrated a massive Borg cube to help the drones of Unimatrix Zero, Chakotay had been acting captain, with Tom his second in command. Tom had not been a happy camper then. Joe couldn't imagine Tom would be any more enthusiastic about serving as Tuvok's second. Because of the political realities of this region, however, the captain and Chakotay, the officers of highest rank, had to be the ones to negotiate with the planetary leaders for help. Anything less would be viewed as an insult. Joe didn't envy Tom his temporary promotion.  
  
"What kind of minerals has Lieutenant Paris found?" Vorik asked.  
  
"He’s located several deposits of iron, silicon, copper, tin, as well as a small amount of rare metals. The usual mix," B'Elanna replied.  
  
"Has he discovered evidence of kolander ore?" Joe turned his attention to the Vulcan engineer, wondering why Vorik was asking about that now.  
  
B'Elanna called up a new file on her PADD. "He reported finding trace amounts of that ore on one of the northern continents. Not that kolander would be of any help in repairing our warp engines."  
  
"Correct. However, several months ago, Lieutenant Carey worked on perfecting the quantum slipstream propulsion system. As you know, I assisted him in this endeavor. We put our efforts aside when the transwarp drive system became a reality." Vorik glanced in Joe's direction. Now that he finally understood where Vorik was coming from, Joe gave the Vulcan a quick nod to encourage him to continue. "From our research into the files of the _Dauntless_ , Lieutenant Carey and I learned that benamite crystals can be synthesized from kolander."  
  
B'Elanna glanced at Joe's direction. With a rueful smile, she said, "I see. Now that our flirtation with transwarp technology has come to a crashing halt, you'd like to pick up where you left off. Joe? I take it you're willing to work on that project again?"  
  
"I am, Lieutenant. If we can find out how to synthesize sufficient supplies of benamite to make another attempt, yes, I certainly would."  
  
"Well then, you certainly have my permission to try – provided it doesn’t take away too much time from our repairs. Getting _Voyager_ back in space is our number one priority.” B’Elanna smiled ruefully. “But, unless you two can get slipstream to work -- and more reliably than the last time we tried it -- the only way we're getting back to the Alpha Quadrant is by regular warp drive, and _that's_ assuming we can get the parts we need to repair that system."  
  
B'Elanna looked around at her assembled staff. "Does anyone else have any questions? Anything to contribute?" When no one spoke up, the chief engineer nodded. "All right. We'll meet here again at 1900 tomorrow to share status reports. Oh, and by the way, the Doctor has asked me to remind you all to get some sleep."  
  
Groans emanated from the group. The Doctor offered this advice to anyone he encountered. Even though the advice itself was sound, it was getting tiresome. The one good thing about the Doctor's admonition: it was also the sign the meeting was over. As everyone stepped away from the meeting and began to chat as they headed to Neelix's outdoor kitchen for dinner, Joe thought about that last comment of B'Elanna's. Sleep. He hadn't been getting enough of it during the past few days, and he doubted he'd get much tonight. The living quarters on Deck 5 and below still needed to have power restored to permit the crew to move out of tents and back into the ship.  
  
As Joe began walking toward the ship, thinking he should put in another hour or two of work on Deck 5 to make that a reality sooner, his mind drifted. Vorik had assisted him with researching slipstream again a while ago. If they now had access to...  
  
"Lieutenant Carey, are you all right?" Vorik interrupted Joe's train of thought.  
  
"I'm tired, Vorik, but isn't everyone?"  
  
"That is undoubtedly true, but you may be more tired than everyone else. By my calculations, you have been awake for the past 36 hours."  
  
"Really?" He yawned involuntarily. "I hadn't noticed."  
  
"I also notice you did not respond to Lieutenant Torres when she called your name as the meeting adjourned."  
  
Joe swiveled quickly around and saw the chief engineer still standing behind the table they'd set up on the grass in front of the ship, with her arms folded and resting on the shelf of her very pregnant belly. Everyone spoke about Captain Janeway’s death glare, but the way B’Elanna was glaring at Joe right now was a very close second.  
  
Joe rushed over to her, with Vorik following close on his heels. "I'm sorry, Lieutenant! I didn't hear your call."  
  
"I'm not surprised. I think even I've managed to get more sleep during the past couple of days than you have! Forget about restoring power to Decks 5 and 6 for now. Sue will work on that this evening. Before you go to your _tent_ and try to _sleep_ for a few hours..." B'Elanna's glare softened into an indulgent smile. "Tom told me to tell you that he wants you to accompany him on the flight to the northern continent tomorrow. Knowing Tom, I'm sure he'll stay out as long as he can and turn it into a 'Boys' Day Out' -- even if Sarexa is also part of the survey team. He wants your help evaluating what they find. Specifically, he's looking for anything useful that might be just 'lying around' around on the surface, free for the taking. Have I made myself clear?"  
  
Even in his supremely exhausted state, Joe caught her meaning. According to the captain’s agreement with the four worlds, anything found on the surface of the planet might legally be "harvested." The _Voyager_ crew was forbidden to engage in mining, but picking up loose rocks containing ore would just be another form of "gathering."  
  
Joe glanced quickly at Vorik. The Vulcan engineer had barely moved and hadn't uttered a sound audible to Joe's sense of hearing. Despite the impassive expression on his face, Vorik's disappointment at not being asked to come too came through just as clearly to Joe as B'Elanna's broad hint.  
  
"Yes, Lieutenant. Perfectly clear. I...uh...I wonder if there might be room for Ensign Vorik to come on this trip, too? That is, if you don't have any specific assignments in mind for him tomorrow? We could review our notes about the slipstream on the flight north."  
  
B'Elanna laughed softly. "I'll see what I can do. I warn you, it might get a bit crowded on the _Sacajaewea_. Billy Telfer and Sarexa are already going; but if you don't mind being crammed in with all the extra sensory equipment they're planning on taking along, I don't see why not. We've all been working a lot of overtime since the crash, and no one more than the two of you. I think you both could use a break." She sighed, and all signs of amusement disappeared from her face as she turned away from Joe and Vorik to stare at the fallen ship's ruined nacelle. "And it's not like we're leaving here anytime soon."  
  
*  



	5. Eureka!--Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The next morning, Joe Carey enjoys some light moments with a few of his Voyager family members before embarking on a survey mission to New Hope's northern hemisphere.

*  
  
When Joe woke up, he didn’t know what time it was; he only knew he was in the dark. "Lights, 20%," he whispered sleepily. Nothing happened. Of course not. He wasn’t in his cabin on _Voyager_. Instead, he was sleeping in a cold tent outside the ship.  
  
He crawled out of his sleeping bag and opened the flap of the tent. The stars paling far to the east told him it would soon be sunrise. Time to get up. He sighed as he grabbed the clothes he’d been wearing for the past couple of days. It would be nice if they could locate a place to wash their clothes in the nearby stream that didn’t involve kneeling in the mud or on the very hard rocks that were murder on his knees. Joe was down to his last clean uniform at this point, and although Neelix had found a plant that made a decent soap, Joe wasn't looking forward to his next "wash day."  
  
As he ducked out of his tent, Joe could see someone had already built a small campfire. "Morning," he whispered to the person sitting next to it. "Anything to eat?"  
  
"Some mixed nuts and a fruit salad, plus some cold leftovers from last night’s meal." Ensign Renley Sharr pointed to several containers sitting on a rock near the fire. "Try to avoid the blue berries, unless you like them really tart." Joe picked up one of the smaller bowls, quickly scooped up some fruit from the largest container, and sprinkled a handful of nuts on top. He sat down on the log "couch" near the fire and peered at the contents of his bowl. The light from the fire wasn’t bright enough for him to tell what color his breakfast was, but he shrugged and began to eat. It tasted good enough until he bit into something beyond sour. _Must be one of the blue berries Renley warned me about,_ Joe thought, as he spit the remnant into the fire. Tentatively, he took another mouthful, and then another. That must have been the only berry in his bowl, because none of the other pieces tasted that bad. Surprisingly, this was a pretty good breakfast, all in all. The crunchy nuts really complimented the fruit.  
  
Renley let him eat for a couple of minutes before she said, "I don't know if you heard, Joe, but Neelix announced we're out of just about all our stored food supplies. Until the replicators are up and running again, we're officially hunter-gatherers. And when it comes to breakfast in camp, he told me he's only supplying an assortment of fruit, nuts, and seeds. Something that can be left out overnight without going bad. Granted, the nights have been pretty cool so far, but the weather can easily change. Oh, and if you can catch any fish from the creek, you're welcome to cook it yourself, of course."  
  
"I'd love to go fishing, but it's not like I have a lot of time to dangle a hook in the stream! Doesn't he have any tubers available? I'm fine as long as I've got my 'taties to eat, and they'd cook up fine if they're stuck in the embers of the fire overnight."  
  
"I heard we do, but Neelix is saving them for lunch or dinner. I guess the foraging teams haven't dug up as many as Neelix needs for every meal. They're rationed. I just hope the ones they found are tastier than Neelix's favorite, good old Leola Root."  
  
"Where's your pioneer spirit, Ensign? Remember the Academy Wilderness Training course? You should be grateful we have anything more to eat than ration bars and water!" Joe chided gently.  
  
As he'd anticipated, Renley laughed softly; their crewmates in the nearest tents were still asleep. "Well, I understand Neelix is serving roast beast for dinner tonight. That's something to look forward to. Ayala really loves playing the role of the 'Great Hunter.' " Renley leaned back a little and asked him, "By the way, did you sleep well? I heard you trip over the tent stake last night, but then I didn't hear a peep out of you until just now."  
  
"I guess I did. I have no idea how long I slept. I know it was well after 1900 when I left the ship.” He glanced around the campsite, noting that it was definitely less dark than it was earlier. “What time is it now?"  
  
"Dawn will be here soon, so it must be around 0600."  
  
"I hope I didn’t disturb you when I tripped."  
  
"No, I'd just gotten into my tent myself. Hadn't turned in yet." Renley picked up a long stick and began to poke the fire.  
  
The warmth of the flames she'd stirred up felt good on his face. There was a definite chill in the air this morning, since it was autumn in the southern hemisphere. _We'd better get the crew quarters livable within the next few weeks. Winter will be here before we know it, and we'll be here for at least one winter -- and maybe more._ Joe sighed as he gazed up at the unfamiliar constellations overhead. He hoped they wouldn't be on New Hope long enough to become intimately acquainted with them.  
  
Joe didn't know how long he sat there on the log, staring at the sky, before his companion said, "You know, I used to like camping. I actually enjoyed Wilderness Training. But right now I am _so_ looking forward to sleeping in my own bed, in my own quarters, with my own honest-to-gosh bathroom, and taking a nice, long sonic shower."  
  
"Maybe the captain and commander will let you use their facilities while they're away, Renley. The crew quarters on Deck 3 have been restored. And if not, Tom's figured out a way to have a warm shower." The voice drifting out of the darkness belonged to Samantha Wildman. She walked into the firelight and greeted Joe and Renley with a hushed, "Good morning, everyone."  
  
"The captain and the commander would do just about anything for their crew, but using their quarters? I don't think I'd dare, no matter how much I want a good buzzy clean! And let me guess. Tom's invention involves a bucket of warm water dumped all over you," Renley saucily replied.  
  
"It was better than taking a bath in that cold stream," Sam said with a shiver. "Neelix's soapy root lathers up really well if the water is warm. I was finally able to get some of the grime out of my hair." She grabbed a bowl and served herself some breakfast. "Does anybody have any idea of the time?"  
  
"Stardate 55984.9."  
  
"Really?" Sam asked. Joe was surprised, too. How did Renley know that off the top of her head?  
  
"Nope. No idea," Renley admitted cheerfully.  
  
"All we’re doing at the moment is sleeping, eating, and working. As long as make it to our shifts and the work gets done, do we care that much about the time?" Joe observed as he took a second helping of fruit and nuts.  
  
Apparently the others considered Joe's comment a rhetorical question. For the next few minutes, the only sounds were spoons scraping against the sides of bowls, chewing, the crackling of the branches burning inside the circle of their stone fireplace, and, far off in the distance, the call of an animal that sounded just like an owl hooting into the darkness.  
  
Eventually, Sam stood up and rinsed out her bowl from the metal pitcher with sat on the edge of the fire, keeping the water inside it warm. Playfully, Sam announced, "The new waste disposal system will be ready by this afternoon. I'm sure you're very excited about that, Renley."  
  
"You mean you're cleaning out the latrines with a phaser?"  
  
"As a matter of fact, that's exactly what I mean," Sam said with the suggestion of a giggle. She looked up at the sky and said, "I guess it's getting close to dawn."  
  
Renley pointed towards the horizon, where a narrow rim of light was beginning to show, lightening that half of the sky. “I’d say it’s officially morning. Time to get to work.”  
  
As he finished his last bit of fruit, Joe heard someone stirring in the tent behind him. In the gradually diminishing darkness, he saw Sam peek inside and guessed Naomi must be in there, beginning to wake up.  
  
Joe rinsed his bowl, grabbed a cup and poured himself a cup of cool water to drink. He'd never realized how dependent upon replicators he'd become until now. A mug of coffee or a cuppa Earl Grey would be a real treat. Even one of Neelix's special blends would be welcome. But by mutual agreement (not to mention an edict by Captain Janeway), Neelix and his kitchen crew of Sarexa, Chell, and Naomi were to stick to cooking luncheon and dinner. Neelix loved "diving in and getting his hands dirty" preparing "real" food, but feeding almost 150 people two main meals a day while setting aside servings for those on the off shifts, when he was also coordinating the crews foraging for plants and game, was all the Talaxian could handle.  
  
Dawn was no longer on its way; the sky was flooded with light. Avian species were warbling, squawking, and screeching their morning songs. Joe turned around and discovered that Naomi had struggled out of her sleeping bag and was standing near the campfire, spooning fruit into a bowl, as Renley Sharr warned her about the tartness of the berries.  
  
He might be early for Alpha shift, but Lieutenant Carey decided it was time to return to his duties. It would be a while before Tom came by and told him when they were leaving. In the meantime, he decided to go to the ship to download his slipstream notes into a PADD to look at later, on the flight north. Even after he'd stopped actively working on the project, once B’Elanna announced the Transwarp Project, he'd tinkered with his theories from time to time. He'd come up with ideas on how to avoid larger bodies like planets, moons, and stars, while travelling in the slipstream. It had been a while since he'd looked at his notes, however. To use the quantum slipstream, they had to have benamite crystals to control the reaction, but the substance degraded so quickly, it was difficult to store. Vorik's comment had triggered his memory. If they could obtain a sufficient amount of kolander, they might be able to synthesize enough benamite crystals to make this technology feasible.  
  
That Zornon cloak…he’d toyed with incorporating it into the shielding they'd need to protect the ship in the slipstream. It wasn't so damaged they couldn't fix it, and when they did, he was sure they find a way to overcome its subsonic resonance and flickering light problems. And then, he fervently hoped, they'd be able to navigate through the slipstream despite the constant phase variances which had derailed their first attempt to use the technology.  
  
And if he was able to accomplish all that, perhaps they'd get back home soon, soon enough so that his boys wouldn't be all grown up before he got back there.  
  
*  



	6. Eureka!--Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The away team flies to the northern continent in the _Sacajawea_ to survey the area's resources.

*  
  
Joe slowly straightened up from a crouched position, arched his back, and stretched. Breakfast had been a long time ago; his stomach grumbled. "Yeah, a midmorning snack would be good," he muttered to himself as he closed the panel he’d been working on. "Carey to Nicoletti." There was no response, so he tried again.  
  
_"Nicoletti here. Joe?"_  
  
"I’ve finished on Deck 5. I’ve marked the panels with damaged gel packs, and those that need new fixtures. How are you doing on 6?"  
  
_"I'm about half done. I'll give you the list of what I haven't finished yet at the evening briefing."_  
  
"I’ll be there. Oh, wait, I might not be there, Sue. I'm supposed to go with Tom to the northern continent this afternoon."  
  
_"I heard! I wish I could go with you! And that reminds me, Tom's been trying to contact you. He said he wants to take off in two hours. He'll meet you at the airport. If you give me your list before you leave and you don't get back in time for the meeting, I can report on the status of both decks."_  
  
Joe chuckled at Sue's comment about the "airport." Leave it to Tom to call the meadow where they'd moved the working shuttles an "airport."  
  
"I'll drop it off now, Sue. I have to climb down that way anyway to get a snack."  
  
_"A snack? Joe, it's lunchtime!"_ Nicoletti's laughter sounded tinny to Joe's ears as it hissed out of Joe's communicator. That system still wasn't working right, but he couldn't do anything about it at the moment. B'Elanna had been right. He could use the break.  
  
Joe made his way down to Deck 6 and handed the PADD containing the state of Deck 5 to Crewman McKenzie, who promised to pass it along to Nicoletti. Joe slowly climbed down the ladder to the lower decks. Since the turbolifts were not yet operational, they were still using the Jeffries tubes to get between decks, dodging around any obstacles still in their way.  
  
As Joe finally jumped out of the ship, he looked around. Sue was right. It must be very close to noon, and New Hope looked very different in midday light. At least he wouldn’t be tripping over any tent stakes as he made his way to the kitchen area.  
  
"What’s for lunch?" Joe asked Ensign Katell, who was on lunch duty today.  
  
"Sandwiches of some sort," the ensign answered. "Not too bad as long as you pretend the bread is actually bread."  
  
"What is it really?" Joe asked warily.  
  
"Some sort of root, tuber, whatever. It's starchy."  
  
If they tasted anything like potatoes, or even a turnip, Joe was sure he'd like it. He waved at several people as he waited in line. As soon as Katell handed Joe his sandwich, he heard Billy Telfer yell out, "Hey, Joe! Where you been? Tom sent me to look for you."  
  
"Sue told me to meet you in the airfield in two hours," Joe replied.  
  
"You had two hours about two hours ago!" Billy said as they started walking toward the airport together. "I guess communications are still acting weird. I'm glad I found you. Tom's getting real antsy. He's afraid that if we haven't left before the captain and commander leave in the _Copernicus_ for the Vordai homeworld _,_ Tuvok will decide Tom can't go on the survey."  
  
Joe stuffed the last bite of his sandwich into his mouth. He'd eaten it so quickly, he'd barely had a chance to taste it; but he thought it was pretty good. The starchy tuber, though boiled, reminded him of a raw potato, but Joe would have liked the sandwich more if he'd had an idea what the filling was. He hadn't wanted to say anything to Ensign Sharr about it, but he'd never much cared for the slug and bug concoctions he'd had to eat during Wilderness Training. They might be nourishing, but they'd never appealed to his taste buds.  
  
As they entered the meadow -- excuse me, the airport -- Joe bent down and wiped his hands clean on the grass before waving to Tom. Vorik and Sarexa were standing next to him, in front of the _Sacajawea's_ hatch.  
  
"Welcome, everyone," the pilot said. "Climb aboard. The captain's given us permission for a cursory scan of the northern continent. Since the Vordai fleet has been pretty blasé about our flights so far, we're hoping that feeling continues." Tom motioned his passengers inside, shut the door, and sealed it. "Sorry about the tight quarters. It could be worse. While I was at the Academy I flew in a Class-2 with half a dozen passengers for weeks. Now that was bad! We'll get back by the end of the day, though, so I don't expect any cases of Class-2 claustrophobia on this trip."  
  
While talking, Tom made his way to the pilot's seat at the front of the craft and completed the last few steps of his preflight routine. Having flown with Tom before, Joe knew the pilot liked to take care of most of his checks before his passengers had arrived. Sarexa jumped into the co-pilot's seat before Joe had a chance to pull rank and claim it for himself. Somewhat disgruntled, Joe squeezed himself alongside Billy Telfer and Vorik on the rear bench. Tom had vaulted the shuttle high into the air before they'd even finished buckling their seat belts.  
  
Sarexa turned in her seat and smiled at the passengers in the rear. "Tom told me it will take us 1.14 hours to reach our initial destination."  
  
"That sounds about right," Joe said, although he hadn't had a chance to check that with Tom.  
  
Sarexa hadn't flown in a shuttle with Tom before, and he pointed out various topographical features to her as they flew north. The Borg did not value esthetics; they plundered worlds of their natural resources without regard for the ugly scars left behind after their attacks. Sarexa's memories of her Talaxian home had faded enough that she peppered Tom with questions to explain aspects of the natural world she couldn't understand. She knew a lot about engineering and biology, but her knowledge of the earth sciences was severely deficient.  
  
The three men crammed into the bench seat at the back of the shuttle fussed with their scanners more than they conversed during most of the first hour of flight. Joe had planned to brainstorm with Vorik about the slipstream drive during the trip, but Telfer was sitting between them. Joe didn't like the idea of talking over Billy, and he wasn't familiar enough with the Science Division crewman to know exactly what his specialty was. On _Voyager_ , the crew was cross-trained in many disciplines. Joe finally asked him, "Bill, I forget. Who's your immediate supervisor?"  
  
"Lieutenant Jacobson, Geosciences."  
  
"So that's why you're here! You know a lot about minerals."  
  
"I like to think so," Billy replied with a smile.  
  
Ensign Vorik asked, "Crewman Telfer, what do you know about the properties of kolander?"  
  
"Uh, well, not too much is known about it. I know the Solendri used it for synthesizing the benamite crystals we traded for, that time we tried to reproduce Arturis' slipstream...hey? Is that what you two are up to? Are you going to try to use the quantum slipstream drive again?"  
  
"Caught us," Joe said, laughing. Vorik's mouth was pursed in the way it always appeared to Joe whenever the Vulcan was trying to keep himself from smiling. He was nowhere near as good as Commander Tuvok when it came to controlling emotional reactions.  
  
"Do you know how the Solendri made benamite crystals?" Billy asked.  
  
"Not really," Joe said. "We'll have to experiment. But without a supply of kolander ore, we can't devise any such experiments to find out."  
  
"I see. It's an interesting problem, Lieutenant. The Solendri trader told us crystals are sometimes found in nature as a dilithium crystal impurity, but we never learned the Solendri's process."  
  
Joe looked over Billy's head. Vorik's brows were lifted as high as Tuvok's were whenever Neelix said something particularly outrageous, but in this case, it wasn't from annoyance; Vorik was clearly as surprised as Joe was to hear the crystals could be found in nature. It made sense, really. While a totally new substance was sometimes created as a result of scientific experimentation, most compounds were synthesized when a substance was in such short supply, more had to be produced through artificial means. Because of its molecular instability, benamite was extremely rare. That fit the profile of why individuals would want to synthesize it. "Billy, where did you learn of the existence of natural benamite crystals?" Joe asked.  
  
"I was there when the Solendri scientist transferred the benamite to Lieutenant Jacobson. He mentioned it in passing when he told us we needed to be careful how we stored the crystals, because if they're exposed to UV radiation, they break down even more quickly than they do naturally. That's why we stored them in lead boxes and total darkness until we were ready to insert them into the drive. When benamite deteriorates, it decays into this inert substance that looks like soot."  
  
Joe exchanged another glance with Vorik. He remembered cleaning up the sooty residue after their first slipstream experiment had failed, and Vorik probably did, too. Joe was about to ask Billy what else he knew about the two substances, but it would have to wait. Sarexa suddenly announced, thanks to her excellent view from the co-pilot's seat, "This is an interesting location for us to explore, Lieutenant Paris. The climate is quite different from where _Voyager_ landed. There are new plants to investigate. Will you land the shuttle to permit me to take a closer look?"  
  
"Sorry, Sarexa. The captain didn't say anything about any landings. This is supposed to be a quick survey trip. I can adjust the thrusters and move slowly enough for you to take your scans, though."  
  
"How am I to learn which plant sources are safe for us to consume if I cannot take samples?" a very disgruntled former Borg complained.  
  
"I've found tricorder readings are very reliable..." Tom started to say, but Joe interrupted him.  
  
"Uh, Tom, Vorik and I are supposed to collect mineral samples that are just 'laying around' on the ground. If you know what I mean."  
  
"Ah, yeah. You're right. B'Elanna did mention that. Okay. I guess we can spend 20 minutes here to collect some plants and pretty rocks. Where do you want me to land?"  
  
Sarexa might have grumbled a little about Tom's time limit, but after activating her tricorder and comparing notes with Joe, Vorik, and Billy, she pointed to a grove of trees on the riverbank at the edge of the grassland. Everyone hopped out of the shuttle and quickly surveyed the area. A surprisingly large number of sacks containing fragrant herbs, nuts, and tubers was resting in a storage unit in the rear of the shuttle 22.25 minutes later, by Sarexa's reckoning, as Tom took off again and headed due north. The men hadn't found any rocks worth collecting.  
  
They cruised above the coastline for a half hour before Sarexa pointed to a meandering stream that looked promising, and the _Sacajawea_ touched down again. This time, fifteen minutes was all she needed to collect her samples, as the others helped out. They hadn't found any trace of the minerals they sought.  
  
Tom continued to fly north, but the coastline was no longer below them. A piedmont rose above the coastal plain, and eventually, it gave way to a line of tall cliffs which marched across their flight path. Tom had to take the _Sacajawea_ to a higher altitude to avoid smashing into them, and once they did, Joe could see a mountain range jutting up towards the sky. "Those mountains look a little like the southern range, don't they, Tom?"  
  
"The ones we managed to avoid crashing into last week? Yeah, a little," Tom responded.  
  
_Has it really been only nine days since we crash landed on New Hope? It feels like months,_ Joe thought.  
  
"The mountains are high here," Sarexa said, quite unnecessarily, from Joe's point of view, but as she continued, he realized there was more to her observation. "With the exception of several species of small animals, food supplies in this valley are notably sparse. I recommend exploring that large river valley that we passed over to our east. My instruments indicate the presence of nut trees along the riverbank. It's a much better location to gather samples."  
  
"This area may not be rich in food supplies, Sarexa, but I'm detecting good veins of iron and copper," Billy said. "Coal too. Maybe we could build a forge here."  
  
"No, we can't," Joe replied. "The Treaty Worlds don't want us to do anything like smelting metals out in the open because of the risk of polluting this world." _They want to reserve that right for whichever species gains final control of the planet,_ he thought cynically.  
  
"Oh, right. Well, there's also some of that kolander we were talking about, Lieutenant Carey."  
  
After a quick glance at Vorik, Joe said, "I think Billy's right. This does look like a good place to check out, Tom."  
  
There was more than just "some" kolander in this area. Vorik was the one who said it first: "The deposits of kolander ore are extensive. A quantity of particulate matter floating in the atmosphere here consists primarily of kolander, as well." Vorik met Joe's gaze and added, "It would indicate that at least some of the ore is on the surface, or close enough to be...easily dislodged."  
  
Tom was looking for a place to land when he suddenly convulsed with laughter.  
  
"Are your instruments detecting benamite?" Joe eagerly asked Tom.  
  
"No, sorry, Joe. That's not it. Take a look at that!" Tom waved his hand and pointed down a valley which had a very tall mountain at its far end with a rounded knob at the top. At first glance, it looked a bit like someone's head, and the mountain's flanks resembled a person's shoulders. But Telfer began to laugh now, too. It took Joe another couple of seconds to notice the two rounded hills at the base of the mountain.  
  
"Really?" Joe began to join in the merriment.  
  
"I hereby christen that peak Tall Girl Mountain," Tom announced grandly.  
  
Vorik came forward at that point, too. Joe didn't expect to hear him laugh, but when Vorik said, "I fail to see the humor," Tom, Billy, and Joe laughed even harder.  
  
"You know Tom, your wife has been pregnant way too long if you think those hillocks look like breasts..." Joe suddenly remembered who was sitting right in front of him. "Uh, sorry. We're getting a little coarse, guys. We need to control ourselves. I apologize, Sarexa."  
  
"There is no need to apologize. I have no more idea about the reason you are laughing than Ensign Vorik evidently does."  
  
"Well you see, Tom here is a married man..." Joe began.  
  
"I am well aware of Lieutenant Paris' marital status," Sarexa said.  
  
_Trust a Borg to suck the humor out of a joke_ , Joe thought. "Never mind, Sarexa. It's just that boys will be boys sometimes."  
  
Sarexa arched her brow in the way Seven used to and said, "Isn't a person of the male gender always male?"  
  
No one answered. Sarexa looked puzzled until she said, "Ah. Now I understand. This conversation has sexually provocative overtones. I'm often confused by that. I will discuss this with Jenny Delaney after we return to _Voyager_. She is a good resource for understanding interpersonal relationships." Apparently satisfied with this explanation, Sarexa refocused her attention on her instruments.  
  
As Tom banked the shuttle to head in the direction from which they'd come, looking for a good place to land, Joe was still chuckling to himself as he thought, _Tall Girl Mountain_. _I'll bet that's a name that's going to stick._  
  
A minute or so later, Billy pointed to a relatively flat area along the mountain stream. "We can land there, Lieutenant. I think this is a good place to collect mineral samples. Oh, and Sarexa, there's a salt outcrop along this side of the gorge. I'm not sure if that counts as food or a mineral resource, but Neelix will want some of that. Is it legal to collect rock salt, Lieutenant Carey?"  
  
"Uh, I guess if any pieces happen to be lying around on the ground, they'd be fair game," Joe replied.  
  
As the survey team exited the _Sacajawea,_ everyone, even Tom, had a tricorder lifted high to record the composition of the gorge. Sarexa's demeanor brightened considerably when she saw how many salt chips littered the ground beneath the outcrop. Pulling on the gloves Tom had issued to her after he urged her to protect her hands from salt, she began to fill a sack with as many chips as she could scoop up in the short time allotted for their stop.  
  
Joe was elated by the amount of kolander here. As Vorik had noticed, there was a talus slope a little way down from Sarexa's salt lick that was loaded with the ore. Vorik joined him in grabbing as many pieces of the loose ore they could find. Some chunks were large enough that he had trouble lifting them with one hand. Joe was about to ask Tom if he knew if there was a limit on how big a piece could be to count as something "gathered" rather than mined when the ground beneath his feet began to shake.  
  
It was over in seconds, and everyone answered Tom as he called out if everyone was all right. He was about to ask Tom if they should leave when Billy shouted, "Whoa! Lieutenant Carey! Look at this. Remember what I said about naturally occurring benamite?"  
  
"Benamite?" Joe said. "Naturally occurring benamite? Billy, you said it breaks down when it's exposed to light."  
  
"I know, but the kolander ore here is laced with benamite. Small amounts, but still...nobody could have synthesized it, unless those Treaty people are lying about what their 'supervisors' do when they're on this planet."  
  
The entire team rushed towards Billy's position at the head of the gorge. When Vorik arrived, still consulting his tricorder, he remarked, "Interesting. As you say, Crewman Telfer, there is a small supply of benamite within this ore. A substantial number of dilithium crystals are also embedded within this kolander, and the benamite crystals are only found next to the dilithium. I also detect a quantity of the soot-like substance Lieutenant Carey and I found in _Voyager's_ propulsion system, after our unsuccessful slipstream attempt."  
  
It took a few seconds for Joe to process Vorik's dispassionate recitation, but more importantly, in that short amount of time, he grasped what it meant. From the sudden comprehension that suddenly sparked in Billy Telfer's eyes, Joe knew he'd made that leap, too.  
  
"Eureka!" both men shouted as they began to jump up and down.  
  
"Eureka, a town in California," Tom said. "I practiced sea landings in the ocean right off the coast. But that's not the Eureka you're talking about, is it?" The smirk on Tom's face told Joe that the pilot had followed and understood the implications of Vorik's utterance just as well as Joe and Billy had.  
  
Joe laughing, shook his head. "Tom! We need to get back so we can talk to the captain about asking for permission to mine this kolander ore. We can get benamite and dilithium crystals..."  
  
"...and we can synthesize more benamite from kolander ore when we need it!" Billy added gleefully.  
  
Vorik nodded slowly. "Kolander is a stable substance, even though benamite is not. Dilithium appears to be the catalyst which creates benamite, while the soot-like substance is the end product of a chemical reaction once the benamite breaks down. A logical progression."  
  
"Chemical Reaction 887," Sarexa calmly stated. "The Borg designated this reaction to be of limited use."  
  
"Oh, that's where you're wrong," Joe said. "The Borg went all in on transwarp and never bothered to develop the slipstream system. But since we don't have a transwarp coil now, slipstream is the only way to go if we're going to get home in less than fifteen years!"  
  
"It is a difficult form of propulsion to control," she countered.  
  
"We found that out the hard way, Sarexa," Tom admitted. "But this Zornon Cloak technology may help shield the ship from the phase variances we encountered during our first attempt to travel by slipstream. If you and Icheb can help us by sharing what you know about this 'chemical reaction,' maybe this time we can make it work."  
  
"Agreed," Vorik said. "Lieutenant Carey, we should discuss our findings with Lieutenant Torres after our return to _Voyager_. Repairing the Zornon Cloak must now be considered a higher priority than it was just yesterday."  
  
"You're right. We have data to justify that now. We should get back...but wait. Tom, maybe we should take a look at that river valley first."  
  
"Thank you, Lieutenant Carey," Sarexa said briskly. "I hoped my request had not been forgotten."  
  
"Never!" Tom said, "Food is too important to forget. Let's get these sacks of ore and salt inside the shuttle and head back that way." Once they were all on board, he lifted off and banked the _Sacajawea_ towards the east. The shuttle bounced, but Tom quickly had it running smoothly. "One river valley coming up."  
  
*  
  
Three hours later, Tom gently set the _Sacajawea_ down at his "airport." There was no sign of the _Copernicus_.  
  
"The captain has already gone?" Billy asked as he grabbed the sack of mineral samples and slung it over his shoulder.  
  
Tom looked around quickly. "Looks that way. They must have taken off a little earlier than expected. I didn't think they were going to leave until this evening."  
  
"I'd hoped we'd get back in time to ask them about that agreement about no mining," Billy said. “Surely they can build a convincing case in favor of a very small and limited operation.”  
  
"The captain and Commander Chakotay know we need materials to repair _Voyager's_ hull. They may remember to ask about it on their own," Joe reminded him. He grabbed the sack of salt chips and one of the bags of herbs, while Vorik picked up three bags of the heavier food samples. Sarexa smiled gratefully at them for their help.  
  
"And they'll be back in a couple of weeks, Billy. When they do their next check in, I'll mention what you've found. Once they've read your reports, I don't think they’ll fail to see the significance." After they exited the _Sacajawea's_ hatch, Tom added, "I'll come back for the rest of the samples after dinner. I'm heading there first. I'm hungry. Are you coming?"  
  
"We are expected at this evening's engineering briefing, Lieutenant," Vorik reminded Joe.  
  
"Yes, we are," Joe said, glancing at the chronometer in his tricorder. "That last stop at the nut grove made us late. Tom, please ask Neelix to set aside a serving of that roast beast and baked tubers for me. Vorik and I have a date with your wife!"  
  
Tom smiled. "Don't worry. I have to save some for B'Elanna as it is. Make sure that meeting doesn't run too long." Joe nodded to Tom as he passed him. The pilot's long legs carried him to the front of their little group very quickly, and Joe wasn't fooled. Tom was probably heading to the meeting himself to drag B'Elanna to dinner.  
  
As he walked with the little band of brothers (and one sister) towards _Voyager_ and the campground surrounding her, feelings Joe had managed to keep at bay for most of the day washed over him. Yes, work helped him survive from day to day, but a shock of sorrow had a way of reappearing when he least expected it.  
  
Like today, when Tom had named that damn mountain, and Joe's thoughts had immediately turned towards Annie, his wife. He missed her desperately. Finding that supply of kolander and confirming they'd be able to turn it into benamite had made the day special, but that lonely feeling was still there. He tried to cheer up. A few more days like this, and maybe he _would_ get home to Cork before his sons were all grown up. But that day couldn't come soon enough. He was still so far from home.  
  
As Joe Carey strode swiftly towards his ship, the sack of salt bounced against his hip. And with every step, in time with each bounce, the same phrase repeated itself in his head:  
  
_Light years to go before I sleep..._  
  
_Light years to go..._  
  


Finis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We wish to thank Penny_P, who provided us with the idea that as long as something the crew wanted was just "lying on the ground," it would be legal to "harvest" it. Thanks so much Penny!
> 
> And Rocky_T--beta reader extraordinaire--words cannot fully convey how much we appreciate your many contributions to this story.

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: We know we must say we acknowledge Paramount is the owner of Star Trek, and we that make no claims of ownership for any of the characters, ships, situations, or technobabble that they rightfully own. Hopefully, they will continue to tolerate that we love their show so much, we're still writing about it almost two decades after it went off the air. So in a nutshell: we comply with Paramount/Star Trek's Prime Directive.
> 
> Next Up: "Lotos Days," by Penny. The damage to the ship when it crash-landed on New Hope was so great, Captain Janeway, Commander Chakotay, and Lieutenant Kim must seek help from the Vordai, or any of the other Treaty Worlds willing to provide the parts and materiel the crew needs desperately before Voyager can get back into space. Receiving such help from the bureaucrats of four worlds that don't trust each isn't an easy task. The obstacles the away team encounters along the way threaten them in ways no one could have anticipated.


End file.
